Both teams 2-0 in ECC

Published: Friday, October 25, 2013 at 10:30 AM.

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Southwest and Northside have traditionally been the class of Onslow County high school football the last several years.

The Stallions can certainly make that claim since they have four state titles, their last coming last year in their final season in 1-A before moving back up to 2-A this year.

And while the Monarchs haven’t won a state title, Northside has advanced to five East Regional finals, including last year.

Indeed the Monarchs and Stallions have proven to be Onslow’s best, which makes tonight’s East Central 2-A Conference game between Northside and Southwest exciting, both coaches said.

The Monarchs (5-3, 2-0) play host to the Stallions (6-2, 2-0) with first place in the ECC on the line. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

“We haven’t played them in a few years and, really, I didn’t think there would be such a demand for the game to be rekindled, but there has,” Southwest coach Phil Padgett said. “Our fans want it, I know Northside fans want it, and I know football fans in general want it in the county. It’s kind of neat and, well, we are going to play.”

This is the first meeting between these two teams since Northside defeated Southwest 32-0 on Oct. 24, 2008 in an ECC game. The teams didn’t play after the Stallions dropped to 1-A in 2009.

“It’s good for the county and so we are excited,” Northside coach Bob Eason said.

Still, Eason knows that this game isn’t just for county bragging rights and that the winner tonight will put itself in a position for the conference title.

“There are only five conference games and so we have approached each game knowing we have to win to have a chance,” he said. “That’s the way we have looked at it.”

Northside and Southwest have three common opponents: Jacksonville, White Oak and East Duplin.

The Monarchs beat White Oak 15-12 and East Duplin 28-21 but lost 12-11 to Jacksonville. The Stallions lost 13-12 to JHS, lost 14-12 to WOHS but beat East Duplin 23-6 last week.

Now, Northside and Southwest find themselves in a first-place battle after each squad struggled at times in nonconference play.

Northside, the defending ECC champion, has won three consecutive games following a 2-3 start, which included losses to 3-A teams West Carteret, Jacksonville and Havelock.

“We are getting better,” Eason said. “We knew at the beginning of the year that we would take some lumps but hopefully continue to get better. I just think offensively our running game has picked up as the offensive line has gotten better and our backs have gotten better. Defensively, we are getting guys in position.”

Northside is averaging 26.1 points per game and allowing 15.6.

Conversely, Southwest has won three straight games following the loss at White Oak that dropped the Stallions to 3-2. Southwest is averaging 25.3 points per game and giving up 11.7.

Padgett credited the offensive line’s progression for the team’s improvement.

“The last two weeks we feel like they’ve really taken a big step forward,” he said. “Obviously we are not where we need to be if we want to make the playoffs and make a deep run, but we feel we’ve seen some really good things the last couple of weeks, and we feel a lot better about these kids. But they still have to step up and continue to push to get better.”

The coaches said their lines aren’t overly large, but Eason believes the lines will be a difference, given their similarities.

“I don’t care who you play, games are won and lost in those trenches,” he said. “It’s definitely the two lines. Who has improved and who is going to make plays?”

Padgett, meanwhile, is intrigued about the matchup between Southwest’s secondary and Northside’s receivers.

The Monarchs are led by North Carolina commitment Josh Cabrera, who has 27 receptions for 508 yards and nine touchdowns. Matt Pinto has 11 catches for 181 yards and two scores.

“I think we got some pretty good defensive backs and they (Monarchs) have some pretty good receivers,” Padgett said. “It’s an interesting matchup and I don’t know what’s going to happen. If you asked me what interests me, it would be if we can cover the kid (Cabrera).

“Obviously you can’t leave him alone and one-on-one is probably not real healthy against him. You have to try to limit him and make sure you keep him in front so you can tackle and it’s not a 60-yard touchdown pass but a 15-yard completion.”

Northside quarterback Jake Erickson comes in with 738 yards passing and 11 touchdowns while Kris Curry leads the Monarchs in rushing with 429 yards and five touchdowns.

Williams leads Southwest at quarterback with 272 yards passing and one touchdown to go along with 434 yards rushing and four more scores. Isaiah Corbins has 491 yards rushing and four touchdowns, Emmitt Johnson follows with 470 yards and two scores while DaMonta Winbush has 383 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Southwest has good running backs, their quarterback throws a good ball and they run hard and play hard,” Eason said. “It’s just a typical Southwest team. It makes it a little bit more difficult because they have so many guys who can break it and a lot of good team speed on offense. You can’t miss tackles.”

Note: Eason said his son, junior OL/LB/K Gage Eason, is out with a tender Achilles’ heel.

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Southwest and Northside have traditionally been the class of Onslow County high school football the last several years.

The Stallions can certainly make that claim since they have four state titles, their last coming last year in their final season in 1-A before moving back up to 2-A this year.

And while the Monarchs haven’t won a state title, Northside has advanced to five East Regional finals, including last year.

Indeed the Monarchs and Stallions have proven to be Onslow’s best, which makes tonight’s East Central 2-A Conference game between Northside and Southwest exciting, both coaches said.

The Monarchs (5-3, 2-0) play host to the Stallions (6-2, 2-0) with first place in the ECC on the line. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

“We haven’t played them in a few years and, really, I didn’t think there would be such a demand for the game to be rekindled, but there has,” Southwest coach Phil Padgett said. “Our fans want it, I know Northside fans want it, and I know football fans in general want it in the county. It’s kind of neat and, well, we are going to play.”

This is the first meeting between these two teams since Northside defeated Southwest 32-0 on Oct. 24, 2008 in an ECC game. The teams didn’t play after the Stallions dropped to 1-A in 2009.

“It’s good for the county and so we are excited,” Northside coach Bob Eason said.

Still, Eason knows that this game isn’t just for county bragging rights and that the winner tonight will put itself in a position for the conference title.

“There are only five conference games and so we have approached each game knowing we have to win to have a chance,” he said. “That’s the way we have looked at it.”

Northside and Southwest have three common opponents: Jacksonville, White Oak and East Duplin.

The Monarchs beat White Oak 15-12 and East Duplin 28-21 but lost 12-11 to Jacksonville. The Stallions lost 13-12 to JHS, lost 14-12 to WOHS but beat East Duplin 23-6 last week.

Now, Northside and Southwest find themselves in a first-place battle after each squad struggled at times in nonconference play.

Northside, the defending ECC champion, has won three consecutive games following a 2-3 start, which included losses to 3-A teams West Carteret, Jacksonville and Havelock.

“We are getting better,” Eason said. “We knew at the beginning of the year that we would take some lumps but hopefully continue to get better. I just think offensively our running game has picked up as the offensive line has gotten better and our backs have gotten better. Defensively, we are getting guys in position.”

Northside is averaging 26.1 points per game and allowing 15.6.

Conversely, Southwest has won three straight games following the loss at White Oak that dropped the Stallions to 3-2. Southwest is averaging 25.3 points per game and giving up 11.7.

Padgett credited the offensive line’s progression for the team’s improvement.

“The last two weeks we feel like they’ve really taken a big step forward,” he said. “Obviously we are not where we need to be if we want to make the playoffs and make a deep run, but we feel we’ve seen some really good things the last couple of weeks, and we feel a lot better about these kids. But they still have to step up and continue to push to get better.”

The coaches said their lines aren’t overly large, but Eason believes the lines will be a difference, given their similarities.

“I don’t care who you play, games are won and lost in those trenches,” he said. “It’s definitely the two lines. Who has improved and who is going to make plays?”

Padgett, meanwhile, is intrigued about the matchup between Southwest’s secondary and Northside’s receivers.

The Monarchs are led by North Carolina commitment Josh Cabrera, who has 27 receptions for 508 yards and nine touchdowns. Matt Pinto has 11 catches for 181 yards and two scores.

“I think we got some pretty good defensive backs and they (Monarchs) have some pretty good receivers,” Padgett said. “It’s an interesting matchup and I don’t know what’s going to happen. If you asked me what interests me, it would be if we can cover the kid (Cabrera).

“Obviously you can’t leave him alone and one-on-one is probably not real healthy against him. You have to try to limit him and make sure you keep him in front so you can tackle and it’s not a 60-yard touchdown pass but a 15-yard completion.”

Northside quarterback Jake Erickson comes in with 738 yards passing and 11 touchdowns while Kris Curry leads the Monarchs in rushing with 429 yards and five touchdowns.

Williams leads Southwest at quarterback with 272 yards passing and one touchdown to go along with 434 yards rushing and four more scores. Isaiah Corbins has 491 yards rushing and four touchdowns, Emmitt Johnson follows with 470 yards and two scores while DaMonta Winbush has 383 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Southwest has good running backs, their quarterback throws a good ball and they run hard and play hard,” Eason said. “It’s just a typical Southwest team. It makes it a little bit more difficult because they have so many guys who can break it and a lot of good team speed on offense. You can’t miss tackles.”

Note: Eason said his son, junior OL/LB/K Gage Eason, is out with a tender Achilles’ heel.